[bernard]

Ground broke on $120 million Casino and Golf Resort
By: David Namanny
©Kalona News 2005

"If you want a future ... bet on Riverside."

These were the words spoken by Mayor Bill Poch during the official groundbreaking ceremony for the new $120 million Riverside Casino and Golf Resort Wednesday afternoon.

Poch, along with the members of the Washington County Casino Foundation, donned hardhats, ties and long sleeved shirts in order to facilitate the event - despite that fact that it was 95 degrees.

Approximately 150-200 people attended the groundbreaking, held in a cornfield east of Riverside where the future casino complex and resort will be located. A town picnic followed at Riverside's Hall Park that featured free food, a tuba player, a guitar player and a lone clown.

Two deputies from the Washington County Sheriff's Department, who made themselves highly visible, also stood watch over both proceedings.....